Tag: UFC 164

Twitter Reacts to Benson Henderson vs. Anthony Pettis 2

Anthony Pettis did not need to “run off the cage like a ninja” to defeat Benson Henderson in their rematch at UFC 164. 
After attempting one of his signature fancy-schmany kicks in Round 1, Pettis wound up on his back with the champion on top of h…

Anthony Pettis did not need to “run off the cage like a ninja” to defeat Benson Henderson in their rematch at UFC 164. 

After attempting one of his signature fancy-schmany kicks in Round 1, Pettis wound up on his back with the champion on top of him—a spot from which no opponent has found success inside the UFC Octagon and a spot from which Bendo excels. 

From here, many thought, the champ could work his game and safely outpoint Pettis en route to another victory. 

“Showtime” changed that. 

Pettis immediately snagged an arm and started cranking, earning a verbal tapout and a shiny new belt for his efforts. 

After realizing the fight was over, the crowd erupted on Twitter as it did in Milwaukee, churning out some gems for the cyber world to enjoy. 

Bleacher Report’s Steven Rondina did hide his surprise with this one: 

Before this rematch with Pettis, Henderson had not been submitted as a professional mixed martial artist under the Zuffa banner, a fact which made the finish even more shocking. 

While Pettis may never top his Showtime kick in terms of pure unexpectedness, his submission victory Saturday evening showcased everything that is beautiful about this sport at the highest level. 

Following the monumental win, Pettis left us a with a gasoline-soaked memoir for our burning fire of speculation, summarized here by MMAfighting’s Ariel Helwani: 

 

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Henderson vs. Pettis 2 Results: Which Fight Stole the Show at UFC 164?

Coming into Saturday, UFC 164 was supposed to deliver from the get-go.  Fortunately for UFC fans around the world, it did just that.
Even the preliminary battles on Facebook offered subsequent action which featured swift submissions and precise bo…

Coming into Saturday, UFC 164 was supposed to deliver from the get-go.  Fortunately for UFC fans around the world, it did just that.

Even the preliminary battles on Facebook offered subsequent action which featured swift submissions and precise boxing from some of the UFC’s best young talents.

However, through all the glitz and glamor, one fight stood out more than the rest; a lightweight title grudge match between Benson Henderson and Milwaukee’s own Anthony Pettis.

After successfully pinning Pettis against the cage for the majority of the first round, Henderson quickly absorbed numerous painful body kicks by the challenger.

The effort by Pettis to launch kick after kick seemed to deter Henderson from doing anything offensively.  But once Pettis grew too comfortable and decided to throw an unorthodox strike, Henderson soon found himself in full guard.

It seemed as if Henderson would ride the round out and escape the first five minutes, but Pettis threw up a slick armbar that left Henderson scrambling for an answer.

However, in unfamiliar fashion, Pettis verbally tapped the champ to take home the title and secure yet another victory over Henderson.

It was a finish that’s usually unseen in any fight, let alone a championship grudge match, but it’s something you need to expect when watching Pettis.

The young phenom is capable of pretty much anything inside the cage, such as Saturday night.

What people are going to take from Saturday night’s changing of the guard is that in order to be the best and beat the best, you need to go for the finish. 

Guys like Pettis are going to flourish in the eyes of a challenge when they continue to try to win fights outside of a decision.

All in all, a great fight and a flashy finish over one of the best lightweights in recent memory.  Milwaukee got what it wanted as Pettis capped off a heroic showing.

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UFC 164 Results: Breaking Down Josh Barnett’s TKO Win over Frank Mir

UFC 164 featured some interesting matchups, but the co-main event between Frank Mir and Josh Barnett was one of the more intriguing battles coming into the night, and the former heavyweight champions did not disappoint.
With 1:53 remaining in the first…

UFC 164 featured some interesting matchups, but the co-main event between Frank Mir and Josh Barnett was one of the more intriguing battles coming into the night, and the former heavyweight champions did not disappoint.

With 1:53 remaining in the first round, Barnett was able to take down Mir and defeat him by technical knockout. It was a very quick fight, but we can break down exactly what happened in those few minutes.

Things got off to a fast start as both started swinging once the bell sounded. Mir landed some big shots on Barnett in the clinch, while Barnett attempted to get Mir to the ground.  

As both fighters were fighting for position, Barnett did some damage with his knees. Mir tried to adjust, but then he got his hands caught up and absorbed some hard punches.

That’s when the big hit happened.

Barnett kept landing punches and then struck Mir with a direct knee to the head. Mir dropped to the floor, and the ref separated them, calling the fight. Barnett was able to land the perfect blow and end the fight just like that.

For Mir, his MMA career has been a bumpy road. It looked like he was done after dealing with a serious accident, but he was able to battle back to become a heavyweight contender. He then started dropping just outside of contention, and now he’s falling fast. He’s now lost three fights in a row after never losing two consecutive fights, and his career in the Octagon is starting to look like it’s coming to a close.

When it comes to Barnett, he’s still one of the more unpopular fighters in the UFC.  Not only has he had a public feud with Dana White, he’s also failed several drug tests, including one that had him stripped of his title belt back at UFC 36.

While fans may not like the fighter, he delivered an entertaining fight with an incredible ending on a spot-on shot.

Barnett will continue to be an unpopular fighter, but he will be satisfied with the win, while Mir will be hoping to keep his fighting career alive. 

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UFC 164 Results: What We Learned From Chad Mendes vs Clay Guida

Featherweights Chad Mendes and Clay Guida met in Milwaukee at UFC 164 in a high-profile bout Saturday. The winner would likely get his name thrown into the title talk.
What ensued was a pretty one-sided beating by Mendes. Guida struggled to connect wit…

Featherweights Chad Mendes and Clay Guida met in Milwaukee at UFC 164 in a high-profile bout Saturday. The winner would likely get his name thrown into the title talk.

What ensued was a pretty one-sided beating by Mendes. Guida struggled to connect with strikes and could not get him to the ground.

With that, let’s take a look at what we learned from this bout.

 

What We’ll Remember about This Fight

The finish. Guida is not an easy guy to finish, especially with strikes. Just ask Diego Sanchez.

However, Mendes connected with a beautiful punch that rocked the Illinois native, and he pounced upon smelling blood. A few follow-up shots later and Mendes earned a win in impressive fashion.

 

What We Learned about Guida

If he can’t get the takedown, he is in trouble. Guida‘s best bet in fights is utilizing his wrestling, but taking on a superior wrestler in Mendes exploited his skill set.

 

What We Learned about Mendes

He is the best featherweight in the UFC outside of Jose Aldo. His combination of power wrestling and improved striking under Duane Ludwig has made him the monster he is today.

He is ready for another title shot. He has knocked heads off on the way and should take on Aldo in his return.

 

What’s Next for Guida

He needs to pump the breaks on the level of competition he has been fighting. He has struggled against top guys, and that continued at UFC 164. Maybe a bout with another recent loser, Cole Miller, would strike up some interest.

 

What’s Next for Mendes

I said it earlier. Give him a title shot at Aldo.

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UFC 164: Power Ranking the Preliminary Card Fights

UFC 164’s prelims came with some mixed performances. There was some good and some bad.
The heavyweights were featured, as were the flyweights. The marquee matchup was a lightweight bout between longtime vets Jamie Varner and Gleison Tibau.
These fights…

UFC 164‘s prelims came with some mixed performances. There was some good and some bad.

The heavyweights were featured, as were the flyweights. The marquee matchup was a lightweight bout between longtime vets Jamie Varner and Gleison Tibau.

These fights were imperative because they might convince fans to buy the pay-per-view at the last minute. For the most part, they delivered.

Here are the power rankings for all the prelims.

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UFC 164: Henderson vs. Pettis Round-by-Round Recap and Analysis

It’s finally here. One of the biggest rematches in recent memory will go down when UFC champ Benson Henderson defends his lightweight title against rival Anthony Pettis in Milwaukee.
UFC 164 comes in the wake of the final WEC event from a couple of yea…

It’s finally here. One of the biggest rematches in recent memory will go down when UFC champ Benson Henderson defends his lightweight title against rival Anthony Pettis in Milwaukee.

UFC 164 comes in the wake of the final WEC event from a couple of years ago, when Pettis took the WEC strap off Henderson in the last fight ever for the company. It was a fun fight that brought us the ultimate highlight in the Showtime Kick.

When fight time comes, join us here for a round-by-round recap. Stay tuned.

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